Category Archives: Merida, Yucatan, Maya

JOE, are you listening ?

by

DEAR PRESIDENT BIDEN,

The “Lord Almighty” spoke to you on Saturday, saying that Donald Trump would survive to win in November, unless you, Joe, get out of the way, allowing for an open convention.  Are you listening, Joe?

Psalm 29 (KJV)

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars; yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

10 The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever.

11 The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

AMEN.

Please share, if inclined.

CHURCH LAWYERS and SUPREME COURT JURISTS

by
.
Politico dot com  “Fair Use”
.
Jabba said to Han Solo (from translated subscript):
.
“But if you fail me again, I’ll put a price on your head so big you won’t be able to get near a civilized system.”  <end quote>
.
.
.

Alito lied regarding his findings on abortion, in Dobbs, according to Sabrina Haake: Alito’s sleight of hand used selective misrepresentations of ancient common law history to overturn 50 years of Constitutional protection for reproductive choice. He determined that legal abortion did not exist at common law, despite his own passages detailing how “abortion was a crime after ‘quickening’ (around 25 weeks) throughout common law. Pages 16 through 28 of Alito’s own opinion  describe how abortion was legal up to 25 weeks, for centuries, so when Alito said there was no abortion throughout centuries of common law, he was lying to reach his preferred outcome.

.

.
.

!! VOTING for Dummies !!   ~ by Jesus!

by

 

Jesus said “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)  So who am I to judge this overstuffed dummy?  Well, aren’t elections very much about judging the suitability of candidates?  BUT, since I have little personal knowledge of the candidate, I will leave it to highly-qualified leaders who have an actual basis for their severe judgement.  (And I remind you that Trump said “I am your retribution” — getting even is so telling, making him, and many who support him, decidedly unChristian. —Look in the mirror. ‘Dat you with a stick in your eye? Let’s see!)  Note: Jesus also said “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)  SO, what does that that looks like, up close? —

BUT FIRST, let’s remember that “We the people” have a jury system as a check against injustice, intended to help us reflect Divine judgement. And a jury of 12 brave, upstanding New Yorkers – fairly chosen in court by “both sides” – have risked their lives to find a former president guilty of 34 counts of fraud intended to rig a federal election! (Getting 12 New Yorkers to agree about anything is rare.)    THE MATH: 

100% agreement !   34 x 12 = 408

JUDGEMENT :   PROVEN LEADERS WHO SAW “DJT” UP CLOSE

“Former White House chief of staff, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, has said that President Trump “is the most flawed person” he’s ever known, CNN reported. “The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it’s more pathetic than anything else. He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life,” Kelly has told friends, the outlet reported. ~ TheHill

“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us,” Mattis writes. “We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.”  ~General James Mattis, in The Atlantic.

.
A FEW RECENT TRUMP LIES (with factual corrections from NYTimes):
Atkinson, N.H., rally, Jan. 16, 2024

“While Joe Biden is pushing the largest tax hike in American history – you know, he wants to quadruple your taxes.”

President Biden has not proposed quadrupling taxes. In fact, he has consistently vowed not to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000.

Sean Hannity interview, Jan. 22, 2024

“I mean, what he’s doing with energy with an all-electric mandate, where you won’t be able to buy any other form of car in a very short period of time.”

Mr. Biden has not implemented an electric car mandate. The administration has announced rules that would limit tailpipe emissions from cars and light trucks, effectively requiring automakers to sell more electric vehicles and hybrids. It doesn’t ban gas cars.

Newsmax interview, Jan. 21, 2024

“And think of it, for four years we had no terror problem.”

There were in fact terrorist attacks in the United States during the Trump administration. In 2017, to name one, a native of Uzbekistan plowed a pickup truck down a bike path in Manhattan, killing eight people. The Justice Department said the driver, Sayfullo Saipov, carried out the terrorist attack in the name of ISIS.

==============

QUOTE from famous early 20th-century journalist H.L.Mencken, on the presidency: “As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people …. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

2nd AMENDMENT v. GERRYMANDERING

by

Photo by Tony Webster, Wikimedia Commons

SOME folks worry about the gov’t knowing where our guns reside.  Perhaps more importantly,  when the gov’t knows where your ballot — your party affiliation — resides, it’s no longer a SECRET BALLOT; and  it’s easy for parties to gerrymander, resulting in districts designed to be almost solidly R or D, by COLLUSION of both main parties, making it nearly impossible for voters to defeat an incumbent. That’s how the parties control us. The result :  career politicians are rarely removed from office, unless caught with pants down (or maybe not!) — and we suffer dictatorial anointing (by party bosses) of who gets to run for office.

Example:  those voters registered “independent” are in even worse shape in NY: the Independence Party has virtually no voice in nominating or choosing those who run in the main parties in NY. So, “independent” voters have abandoned their ability to nominate a candidate in what is arguably a more important balloting — the primaries — where potential office seekers are blessed-by and beholden-to party bosses.  Upstarts are scorned and obstructed by the parties, unless they are “players”. Would-be candidates must kiss the ring of the bosses.  Our Founders, especially Washington, Hamilton, and Jefferson, were very wary of “party spirit” (factionalism) which might divide the public, as discussed in President Washington’s farewell address.

In New York, voters tolerate this, although there is an effort to lobby for repeal of closed primaries which you could sign. We voters deserved what we got. (“He who snoozes loses.)   The pol’s knew we were asleep, and stole our voting franchise, so they could control the game!  What’s even worse: voters who want to switch parties to cast a ballot in a more interesting primary have to do so long before a contest becomes exciting. Recently, a cutoff date to switch was October 25, for an April primary! That’s designed by them to prevent people from exercising their choice in a timely fashion as a race heats up. Yep, more control by the pro’s. Not a free election!

Don’t all Americans deserve open primaries? (Currently only 19 US states have open primaries!) We must work to hide our affiliation. It’s time to take back the electoral process. We, the people want our voting power restored to full clout, by becoming states with Open Primaries. We want a truly independent ability to opt out of party affiliation, becoming undeclared, without surrendering our ability to vote in a primary of our choice. Our party affiliation must be invisible to government! That’s why it’s called a Secret Ballot — but it’s not secret if THEY know the address of your affiliation. And it’s not a free election if you can’t easily change affiliation to vote in the primary of your choice. Take back the power to choose! Demand an open primary for NY, or whatever state denies your independence to choose! (We need a revolution in balloting.) And it should include “ranked choice voting” so we are not resigned to “voting against” a candidate for fear of wasting a ballot on a very talented someone who “can’t possibly win”.

POEM : : THE SKY IS FALLING

by

Foto by Caseen Kyle Registos, on Unspalsh. Fair use.

DON’T LOOK UP ?

The sky is falling.
     We call it rain.
But the sky is falling!
     Is that your refrain?
Well, the sky IS falling, so let’s take action.
     Stifle, you’ll scare the children.
But they see it, too!
      Don’t worry, be happy; the sky is blue.
.

¿¿ REGRET FOR YESTERDAY ??

by

Photo by Jovis Aloor, on Unsplash.

Nearly every Saturday for about 15 years I did volunteer prison work with a group of guys at a nearby prison.  Periodically we would discuss dealing with depression.  I’d remind them that they couldn’t change “yesterday” — but they could learn from it, saying  stress is about tomorrow; and regret is about yesterday — neither of those days exist — (also mentioning that Rabbi Jesus said something similar: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6:34 NASB).

At a certain point in life we begin gazing into that sacred mirror, remembering scenarios from our past which could have been handled better.  I found a quote recently from Ralph Waldo Emerson that fits for today, the last day of the year, and every day, which I shared with a few friends on Christmas day:

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.” 

~Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good day > > > or now, ~A Good New Year.  Blessings are ours today if we will hunger and thirst for them.

FINDING PEACE WITHIN

by

Q: Is peace naive, impossible, merely the absence of war ?

Catch this, from a guy knowing he’s about to be crucified for heresy: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”(John 14:27) // “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” (Matt 10:29) // And this from an earlier sufferer: “Though he slay me yet will I trust him[.]”(Job 13:15)

Click red for a classic excerpt from Handel’s Messiah, by St Paul Chamber Orchestra, [skip ad] OR, rock it with Too Hot to Handel

LYRICS to the hallelujah* chorus — so you could maybe sing along!


God’s Peace, to everyone!
~eric. MeridaGOround.com (a link to some previous Christmas cards)
*hallelujah derives from Hebrew, meaning to praise, glorify, shine.

¿Interested in “beginnings”? ~ a new READING GROUP is forming. . .

by

> > OFFERING CANCELLED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT INTEREST < <

Foto from Unsplash: uploaded by Vencentiu Solomon

We will be reading the book of Genesis (“Beginnings”) between the lines, as literature and philosophy, but not as religion.  The study group will be moderated by the owner of this blog, who dropped out of a graduate program at Harvard Divinity School; and who conducted a nondenominational prison Bible-study (“a stealth ethics class”) as a volunteer, nearly every Saturday for 15 years.  Interested fellow-explorers are invited to respond to MeridaGOround@protonmail.com for evolving details:  presently targeting an early-December or early-January start date, weekly, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays, to be agreed upon during formation of a group.  (This is not a virtual class: no Zoom. It will meet in person in Merida MX.)  Gratis. No fees. FUN, I promise! ~eric.

ADAM & EVE : “Original innocence”  :  photo by MeridaGOround

We live in stories.  Stories have a beginning and an ending. (But a sequel? Dunno.) How we interpret them, process them, wrestle with them, can shape our outlook and experience.  (God, of course, would be a character in this study; and we might note that, in reality, an author can also be a character.) Can/should those who read this story of Beginnings question God’s motives, methods, designs? Good stories invite such questions!  Exploring them together can be an enriching experience.

“HELP MATES” :  acrylic painting by MeridaGOround

CAMPFIRE under the stars. Where does a circle begin? Entertainment, to explain reality.

Foto from Unsplash: uploaded by eberhard grossgasteiger

 

DISCOURAGED ? Visit the devil’s yard-sale !   [a book review]

by

    “Fair Use” – Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. (Please credit MeridaGOround.com):

Below is my modern mash-up (simply updating pronouns, gender and style) of a parable written by William Rathvon in 1911.  The original portrayed an auction, as the devil was “going out of business” — but perhaps that was a bit premature in 1911? — being prior to two world wars.   Well, fast-forward to where he’s now holding a weekend yard sale, hoping to cash out before the apocalypse arrives either to snuff or “rapture” his potential buyers; or before Jesus descends from the heavens onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (which would disrupt Lucifer’s rummage sale) — so, queue the medias’ search-lights in Jerusalem! ~see Acts1:11.   (Note: I consider myself a Judeo-Christian believer – yet only God knows if I qualify – so please recognize that my sarcasm is not directed at Jesus, but rather at some widespread misinterpretations of the Bible.)

 

 

Indeed these notions have spilled out of “the churches” — dangerously infecting the general public of western civilization, and beyond.  If you believe the end is near, or that your life or human civilization is at risk of becoming dark, or worthless, or even over, be alert!  (Belief shapes experience, which, for example, is why BigPharma spends millions doing double-blind experiments, including into placebo-effects about the power of belief.)  If belief affects personal physiology, is it too far-fetched for it to affect our social mindset, too?  Well, perhaps “the end” is greatly exaggerated? But hey, every life seems to have an end! – or maybe a coda (a “next chapter”)? – or a sequel? — so let us recall that there have been at least five major global extinctions of life across deep history, yet life continues. And now we have “Extinction Rebellion” — young people vigorously resisting a “sixth”. Well, all stories do have an end, so what do YOU believe about “The End”? What story do you occupy, or anticipate? 

Clearly the devil has not read Professor Bart Ehrman’s disruptive new book, ARMAGEDDON: What the Bible Really Says About the End  — or he wouldn’t be so hasty to liquidate his tools. (Ehrman is a prominent, some might say “infamous”, church historian.)  I’m confident the devil doesn’t want you to read a free sample excerpt ! — so, do it anyway ?  OK, here’s my modern version of Rathvon’s parable:

 

THE DEVIL’S YARD SALE

It was recently announced that the devil was holding a weekend yard sale, and would offer his tools for sale to anyone who would pay his price. On the first night of the sale they were all temptingly displayed, and a bad looking lot they were: malice, envy, jealousy, holier-than-thou (a.k.a. “pride” ~see v.16…), hatred, sensuality, deceit, betrayal, and all the other implements of evil were spread out, each marked with its price. As a centerpiece, there lay a harmless looking wedge-shaped tool, much worn and priced higher than any of the others.

From among the crowd, someone asked the devil what it was for. “That’s discouragement,” was the reply.

“Well, why do you have it priced so much higher than all the others?”

“Because,” replied the devil, “it is more useful to me than any of them. With it, I can pry open and get inside anybody’s consciousness, even when I couldn’t get near them with the uglier, more complicated tools; and once inside I can use that person in whatever way I desire. It’s so  battered because I use it with nearly everybody, as very few people are aware that it belongs to me.”

“You say you use this wedge-of-discouragement with nearly everybody  — with whom are you unable to use it?”

The devil hesitated a long time and finally said in a low voice, “I can’t use it to get into the consciousness of a grateful person.”

It should be added that the devil’s price for discouragement was so high that it was never sold. He still owns it, and is still eager to use it.

REVIEW quotes of Ehrman’s book:

“Vigilantly persuasive.”  —The Washington Post

“Lucid and compelling.”  —Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Ambitious.”  —Publishers Weekly

“Well-argued [and] certain-to-be-controversial.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Ehrman is always highly readable… posing thought-provoking questions about what readers believe and how those beliefs affect their actions. Lots to ponder here. –Booklist